YM1110D Won't Charge

[California]

My simple-minded approach: So long as it always cranks vigorously ignore the blinkylights.

Update yesterday I had to roar at over 2k rpm for several seconds to get the bright red light to go out. Then after that it acted normally, dim only appearing at low idle.

Whatever, the battery is fine. Tests 12.8 volts.

Can these regulators go partly-bad? I thought solid state meant it would be either good or dead. Maybe solid red just meant the battery didn't need a charge?

 

[rScotty]

Update yesterday I had to roar at over 2k rpm for several seconds to get the bright red light to go out. Then after that it acted normally, dim only appearing at low idle.

Whatever, the battery is fine. Tests 12.8 volts.

Can these regulators go partly-bad? I thought solid state meant it would be either good or dead. Maybe solid red just meant the battery didn't need a charge?

Your battery sounds good. You'll just annoy yourself looking at that light. Even worse, the way the VR circuit is built, that red light doesn't necessarily relate to what the voltage regulator is doing. Everyone ought to put an accesory analogue voltage gauge in the dash like we discussed.

Yes. the VR can definitely go partly bad. Even worse, they can begin to discharge the battery when the tractor isn't running. The old relay&resistor type voltage regulators from the 1950s were the ones more likely to fail completely. BTW, Yanmar used the old style regulator up until the early 80s I believe. They had them on some their early US model tractors - the lime green ones.

Have you tried running the tractor with the head lights on to see if that would help? I have no idea if it will or not, but the theory makes sense. You might even play around with different wattages. Careful, they do get hot.

I wonder how many times that a good car battery like you have would start that YM186 of yours on nothing more than a monthly 110v overnight battery charge? That's a decent interim solution. A old style diesel like ours doesn't use any electrical power while running.

Since one of the ways those solid state voltage regulators can go bad allows the battery to trickle discharge through the voltage regulator, one solution to charging woes would be to have a good automotive size battery which you then charge monthly. Leave the tractor system alone except to add a manual battery isolator switch in the positive lead to prevent any slow discharge through the VR. That's what saltwater boaters and many campers do. It used to be common to tractors too. Look up "Perko" in Amazon for a good isolator switch.
luck,
rScotty

 

[bmaverick]

Your battery sound good. You'll just annoy yourself looking at that light. Even worse, the way the VR circuit is built, that red light doesn't necessarily relate to what the voltage regulator is doing. Everyone ought to put an accessory analogue voltage gauge in the dash like we discussed.
rScotty

LIKE. :thumbsup:

Wish there was a like button here like Tractorforurm. I too don't like the light ordeal that doesn't relate much to help.

It's harvest season for a bunch of things right now, just can't get to the problem at this time. I just pull out the jump-start pack and then go.

 

[California]

... You'll just annoy yourself looking at that light.

The old relay&resistor type voltage regulators from the 1950s were the ones more likely to fail completely. BTW, Yanmar used the old style regulator up until the early 80s I believe. They had them on some their early US model tractors - the lime green ones.

Have you tried running the tractor with the head lights on to see if that would help? I have no idea if it will or not, but the theory makes sense. You might even play around with different wattages. Careful, they do get hot.

I wonder how many times that a good car battery like you have would start that YM186 of yours on nothing more than a monthly 110v overnight battery charge?

Lots of good advice!

Yes on the green YM240 the alternator and mechanical, old-school regulator are same as 73 Datsun. I destroyed that regulator in my initial cleanup when I bought the tractor, not realizing that the mud-dauber nest under the regulator hid big exposed wire-wound resistors. Linked through big holes to the interior relays. Pressure-washing that style regulator is Not A Good Idea. Oh well, at least the solid state replacement regulator was in stock at Autozone for $18.

Headlights - on the 186D a while back I noticed the dim red warning light more often than usual, then while parking in the barn discovered the headlights had been on all day. Their effect was just to raise the rpm needed to extinguish the dim red. Nothing unusual.

Battery - a good one will start these for months. I had a BatteryMinder on the YM240 because that Yanmar is now used only when I need the backhoe. Long story short, a mains voltage spike killed the house clock radio and shop wall clock early last summer and although I didn't realize it at the time, the BatteryMinder. (Thankfully nothing expensive). I didn't realize the YM240 hadn't been charged by the BatteryMinder until the next time I started it months later and it cranked a little slow. I found 12.2 volts, enough to start but that was my first realization that the BatteryMinder hadn't been functional for months. I'm sure monthly charging would be sufficient if the tractor had no charging system at all.

The YM240 manual even covers running with no battery. Apparently some places one battery is carried around to start all the equipment for the day. Real Old School! I enjoy the simplicity of these classic designs.